Unchosen Angels
by Raze Occam
Summary: Post-series,  Femslash, various pairings. Anthy returns to Ohtori in her search for Utena, with no intent of interuppting Akio's games; fate has other plans.
1. Nevermore

_Utena is the property of Be-Papas. I own nothing. Warning for spoilers._

* * *

><p>Looking at the gates of Ohtori from the outside had once filled Anthy with an indescribable elation, but it was a whole other matter to be walking through them again.<p>

As she stood fiddling nervously with the skirt of her uniform (the one she swore never to wear again) she couldn't help but have doubts. Was this really the only way? Perhaps she'd overlooked some option (even though she _knew_ she'd tried everything). There was nothing more for it, she decided, steeling herself by glancing down at the wrinkled and worn photograph resting atop her enrollment papers.

"_Tenjou Anthy" _was written on the bottom of the page in neat calligraphy, along with the signatures of parents who didn't exist and the telephone number of the café she'd been filling out the forms in. She found it vaguely odd for someone her age to be going to high school, but it had always been odd-as had she.

This time, she was just a student; Ohtori was essentially just a school, and if there were dueling games going on she'd have no part in them.

That was a lie, of course-she'd probably have run-ins with the duelists, and most assuredly her brother-but playing his game was different when she played it on her terms.

If Utena was here, she would find her-there was nothing that could stop her, not after all this time.

But she'd begun to wonder what that even meant; she was not as sure as she was the day she laid her glasses on the desk in quiet revolution. How could she be? She'd gained many things from Utena that day, but blind optimism was not one of them.

It was in the spirit of her prince's bravery that she stepped forward, joining the throng of other students heading into the illusion.

* * *

><p>Akio noticed how the planetarium projector lurched slightly, its metal body moaning in protest. He looked up from his place on the white couch with concern evident on his face, standing up to rap his knuckles against the side lightly, with no reaction apparent from the machine.<p>

He murmured something incomprehensible and went to sit down at his desk, moving a vase of violet roses aside to shuffle through his papers, looking for something in particular.

_"Tenjou Anthy"_

He looked up at the white roses that now rested in the vase, an indignant scowl crossing his normally pleasant features. Akio picked up a rose, and began plucking its petals absentmindedly as he turned to face the projector.

"Well, dearest, isn't it this interesting?"

The machine simply rattled, the creaking of metal sounding almost like a ghost.

* * *

><p>Anthy wondered off-handedly if telling her brother of her arrival had been a good idea, but she relished the opportunity to demonstrate her newfound freedom to him. She turned from the chairman's tower back to the arbitrary tour of the campus she was taking-it wasn't for nostalgia, just the hope that she might find Utena playing sports or walking to classes perhaps.<p>

There was the possibility that Utena was not here as a student, but she had all the time in the world to search. The magic energy of this closed world radiated off of every wall, fence, and statue, time slowing down and dragging all the inhabitants with it. Anthy hadn't noticed it until she lived without its constant hum for five years, and it was taking some getting used to.

She'd realized early on that magic no longer worked in the outside world, and it had been quite a deterrent as she had hoped to find Utena that way. But still, she'd persisted in her search out of stubbornness and a desire to stay away from Ohtori for as long as she lived.

Then she'd had the dream, the one she could barely remember now, but all she knew was that Utena was there, that she needed to come back. She'd berated herself for not coming to that conclusion sooner-it should have been obvious, Ohtori was where it had all begun, so of course it would end there.

End? What does that mean, anyway?

The group made its way to the basketball courts, and Anthy stood rapt at attention. This was the first place in the school she would look-a little flutter of hope sprang up in her heart as she rounded the corner.

The courts were full of boys in their sports jerseys, running about madly as schoolgirls stood by, whispering, blushing, and giggling. Anthy scanned the crowd, looking for pink hair among the brown and black.

Her heart stopped when she found it.

She could only see her back, and her hair was cut boyishly short, but there was no mistaking her. Not when she'd spent so long going over her photos and memories and of the times they'd spent together, she knew it _had_ to be Utena.

And yet, something wasn't right. She hadn't the patience to dwell on it as she made her way excitedly over to where Utena was.

"Utena-sama!" she called out softly, but she didn't turn around; she kept on walking, to Anthy's confusion. Anthy decided she hadn't heard her and continued following her, until they were in the all-too familiar hall that led to the rose garden.

"Utena-sama?" she tried again, and the person who turned to face her was only Utena to the untrained eye; to Anthy, it was like looking at a complete stranger.

"I'm sorry, but who are you?" she asked politely, yet curtly.

The girl looked unnervingly like Utena, only she had shorter hair and wore an eye patch. It might almost have been comical, only it somehow served to make her quite intimidating. There was something about her gaze that Anthy couldn't place, but whoever she was she wasn't Utena.

"I apologize, I…mistook you for someone else." In her disappointment she reverted to her old timidity, her desire to run away and cry safely hidden from her face. The stranger grunted amiably.

"You must be new, then. I'm Tsuchiyo Kagami-and you are?" she extended a hand, and Anthy shook it; it felt cold and dead.

"Hime-Tenjou, Tenjou Anthy." She stated, wanting nothing more than to get away from this person.

"Tsuchiyo-sama, the council is asking for you," a familiar voice called out.

Kaoru Kozue hadn't changed a bit since Anthy had seen her last- of course, her hair was longer, and she looked slightly older, but the air about her remained unchanged. It reminded her of her brother, in a way that made her somewhat nauseous.

"Hmm. See you around then, Tenjou-san." Kagami waved briskly, put an arm around Kozue's shoulders and the two of them headed down the hallway as Anthy felt increasingly like being sick.

It took her years of training as the rose bride to conceal her emotions for the rest of the orientation-she was on the brink of despair, feeling worse than she had all the times she'd almost given up when she was searching for Utena; to find her, but still not have her was more than she could bear.

Did Utena change? Or was it just some sick joke played on her by her brother?

They were questions she didn't want answer. All she could manage was to get to her blissfully empty dorm room and collapse on the bed, her tears flowing more freely than they ever had.

* * *

><p>"Two can play at this game, little mouse," Akio chuckled to himself, sipping his wine gracefully. The flute burst into shards, splattering wine over his shirt like fresh blood, the pieces of glass crashing to the floor with an eerie chime. He gave an exasperated sigh.<p>

"Is that really all you could do, my dear? These parlor tricks of yours are growing old."

With a sweep of his hand the shards were gone and his shirt was clean, and he turned to the projector; the wide white couch burst open with thorny vines and roses of all hues sprouted forth from the upholstery.

"Have I not made myself clear?" Akio snapped at the mechanism, undoing the illusion once more.

"I suppose it was you who brought her here," Akio regained his composure and continued in a silky, dangerous voice, "But do you really think that will help? Do you honestly believe I can't beat her?"

The room was dead silent, but he smiled as if he'd received an amusing answer.

"Of course you do; neither of you would be where you are now if you didn't."

* * *

><p><em>Anthy stood in the dueling arena, the night sky lit by the Castle of Eternity; her bridal gown hung heavier on her than she remembered, and she nearly tripped over the skirts as she walked about aimlessly. She tossed her glasses to the side, feeling them snap under her feet and not really caring-there was something more important to be found here. <em>

_ The planetarium projector sat in the middle of the arena, as it had during the duel of Revolution, and the desks were lined up next to the convertibles that stuck out from the ground at odd angles. They were all just reminders of the past that Anthy tried to ignore, focusing on her the certainty of her unknown goal. _

_ Utena stood near the projector, and Anthy noticed her heart sword (or was it Dios' sword?) protruding from the side of the machine; Utena reached for it, but it burned her hand as she tried to grab the hilt. She kept trying to grab it, but the same thing happened, until her hand was raw from the abuse. _

_ Anthy ran to her, grabbing her shoulders and pulling her away, which took some effort on her part, but she clung to her, burying her face between Utena's shoulders and pulling her closer. _

_ "Himemiya…" Utena murmured, as if waking up, and she lay her hand on top of Anthy's, wound around her waist._

_ She turned and gave Anthy a desperate look, and she saw that one of her eyes was missing._

Anthy woke drenched in sweat with tears dried on her face. Having a dream about Utena wasn't a rare occurrence, but something about that dream felt similar to the one that had led her back to Ohtori-the same gut wrenching vividness, the feeling of urgency, and horror…Most of her dreams were just memories of the days they had together, echoes of the past, but these dreams were a message.

All she had to do was uncover what that message meant.

* * *

><p><em>Sooo, yeah. Expect references to the movie and game starting next chapter , and please review. <em>

_(I'm still not sure if I care enough about ChuChu to bring him into the story, but we'll see.)_


	2. Agents of Rebirth

_"Do you know? Do you wonder? Do you realize?" _

Dark shapes played across the walls, like shadows of things that weren't there. They giggled in their childish voices and threw their arms about dramatically as they spoke.

_"The castle falls, and the witch runs home…"_ the first cried out fiercely.

_"But the prince's prison survives the crash!" _the second added triumphantly.

_"Which one is it, do you wonder?" _The third questioned, to no one in particular.

The sound of an engine putting comically across the sky could be heard, if you listened hard enough.

* * *

><p>Anthy made her way cautiously through the crowded hallway, attempting to find her next class; the mere formality of going to school was rather taxing at times, despite the fact that she knew more about each subject than the entire faculty combined. Crowds never failed to make her uneasy, and high school wasn't the best place to avoid them.<p>

The encounter with that girl yesterday (what was her name? Tsuchiyo? ) had left her rather shaken, and something about Kozue's presence had felt strangely familiar. It wasn't just the fact that she was an old classmate, it was her manner-like a warped mirror, like watching a different person live her life.

There was little doubt in Anthy's mind that she was the new rose bride. The swords had called to her, mockingly, from behind an all-too knowing gaze (though their eyes had never met). But there wasn't any pain; the anguish that had wracked her soul for all her years in the part was missing, replaced by a sort of unsettling peace.

How could she have conquered the swords in only a few years, while Anthy had been the rose bride for eons and had never come close?

She didn't want to dwell on the possibilities of a woman of like Kozue having the swords under her whims, despairing at the ever-deepening of her entrenchment. All she'd wanted was to find her prince, and even after the hell they'd been through the first time there were still far too many obstacles to overcome.

The bell rang as she found herself sitting far in the back of the class, a shopping catalogue safely hidden in the pages of her textbook. She briefly glanced at the rest of the students, their heads buried in their studies as the instructor rambled on in the front of the room. An empty seat caught her attention, though she couldn't discern why.

She just sighed in boredom, turning to look out the window. She considered using the inactivity as an opportunity to contact ChuChu, but decided against it; if the teacher were to ask her a question while she was in the astral plane there would be no telling what she'd say.

Anthy, resigned to her fate, laid her head on the desk and slept behind her book.

* * *

><p>"<em>If the world resists change, it will remain forever in darkness;<em>

_We are the light of the world, brought forth to serve its rebirth._

_For the End of the World!_

_For the revolution of the world!"_

The elevator screeched to a halt at the arching white balcony, the student council having already gathered around the white table. A young man with blonde hair sat hunched over the surface, scribbling down notes nervously.

"So it seems the former rose bride has finally appeared." A woman with a faintly dangerous voice spoke first, casually running a hand through her teal tresses. The younger girl standing next to her shifted uncomfortably, toying with a decoration on her uniform.

"It's so inconvenient, too!" interjected Shiori, "Kiryuu-sempai left just last week, and this whole business with the Golden Rose; she's a keen strategist, isn't she?"

"End of the World knows something he's not telling us, doesn't he, Tsuchiyo-san?" the woman questioned towards Kagami, who stood with her back against the wall, her gaze directed elsewhere.

"And what exactly makes you think he'd tell me, Sanjouin-san?" she deflected.

"You're the only one besides the rose bride who actually has any contact with him; you know what trying to get answers from her is like." The boy hunched over the table spoke up, standing to face her with as much authority as he could muster. "And it's not like you're that much easier to get information from." He added under his breath, his resolve faltering under an ice blue glare.

Kagami smiled.

"Alright, then, seitokaichou- no, _Tsuwabuki-sama_," she intoned mockingly, "what exactly do you want to know?"

He shifted nervously.

"How did the former rose bride get here?" Shiori broke the tensioned silence, looking from Tsuwabuki to Kagami confusedly.

"I don't know anything, really, but I can guess; there's definitely something going on,"

"Well, we knew that." The older woman scoffed lightly, rolling her eyes.

"Whatever it is, it's because of the last revolution." She said the last words with faint reverence, almost fear in her voice.

"Which we still know nothing about," Shiori grumbled, crossing her arms and turning away, her patience long since fled.

"Might I make a suggestion?" A coy voice called from the shadows.

All the duelists turned to look at the advancing form of Kozue, who stepped out to look at them like Anthy never could have-she had them under her thumb, and they all knew it. She approached Tsuwabuki, but stopped briefly to throw a knowing glance at Kagami.

"And that would be…?" the teal-haired woman coaxed.

"As far you know, End of the World has already made the first move against her; whatever her reaction, whatever her motive, will determine what she does next." She explained pleasantly (dangerously).

"It's also likely whatever she does next could destroy us," Shiori countered, having suddenly regained interest.

"Not really; it's far too early in the game for that." Kagami sauntered over and wrapped an arm around Kozue's waist.

"So, End of the World doesn't want us to mess up his plans, then," Sanjouin concluded.

The rose bride's expression didn't change, her face deliberately masking her intentions-and yet it was a devilish expression all the same.

* * *

><p>The sun set over the ocean, splashing its magnificent colors over the blue skies, in much the same way it always did. In Ohtori, there were no dull sunsets, no unpleasant seasons, only beauty and perfection.<p>

Akio took some comfort in this; there were still things he could control, many things. His hands gripped the wheel of his convertible as it sped along the coast, the engine's roar being left in its wake. He rarely ever drove alone, but he hadn't felt like dealing with Kozue or Kanae this evening, and he needed to clear his head.

He would not let her get to him, he was sure of it.

The throb of the engine ran through his body and sharpened his senses; if anything would strengthen him for the task ahead, this was it.

* * *

><p>Anthy stood alone on an overlook, watching the car race off into the distance. One might have mistook her for a ghost, the way her hair seemed unfettered by the winds that drifted lazily past. She'd known she would find him here, though she didn't know how exactly; following him was just a bad habit of hers. She wrapped her arms about herself to ward off the twilight chill and the dread in the pit of her stomach.<p>

Why had she bothered to come? She did not desire to enter a confrontation with Akio, at least not now, when she was so clueless and he had the upper hand.

Her hope, her belief in him, had always been his greatest strength. The fact that it remained disturbed her to no end.

"_Believing...is so much harder than you made it out to be, Utena."_

Anthy shook her head and turned from the scene, her weariness with it all catching up to her as she decided she needed to sleep.

Her dorm room seemed to have been organized in her absence, the many books and bizarre objects sorted into neat piles, and a dust-covered ChuChu lay conked out on the table, his paws around the spine of a particular text. He jolted to alertness when she shut the door, although she had been trying not to wake him.

"Hello, ChuChu," she picked him up and gave him a small hug, and he squeaked excitedly, leaping out of her hands and pointing at the book he had been sleeping next to with great fervor.

The book was written in an ancient, long dead language, and on its tattered cover was a picture of two birds being strangled by ivy vines.

Anthy had not consulted her books often while being the rose bride, as manipulation was startlingly easy without the use of magic. She'd spent many long hours with these tomes, before…

This book was familiar, only it hadn't been hers. She remembered seeing it in Akio's collection, but had never harkened to read it- it hadn't seemed relevant.

She opened it to a random page, before ChuChu reached up and flipped to a page he had been saving. Next to the writing was an image of two identical men, each missing an eye.

This caught her attention, and she began reading the spell, a triumphant air about her.

* * *

><p>Cliffy, inndnit? Reviews are still very much appreciated.<p> 


	3. The Spider and the Butterfly

"_If the chick cannot break out of its shell, it will die without being born._

_We are the chick; the world is our egg._

_If we cannot break the world's shell we will die without being born."_

"Hmm. I don't think they got the quote quite right," Anthy mused under her breath as the elevator rose, the fanciful wrought iron doors whizzing dramatically past. Even as she rose up she felt weighed down by the ancient book hidden in her satchel.

It was dark magic, a kind of darkness that she herself had rarely dared to expound; it wasn't beyond him, she knew it, but she sorely wished he could have exhibited some semblance of restraint.

Akio was growing desperate, though for what reason she couldn't fathom. What could possibly drive him over the edge like this? Anthy's return would simply be a nuisance, as she really had no intention of disrupting his games-she trusted them to do that of their own accord, as they had once before…

She stopped for a moment, considering the revelation.

Before?

The lift came to a halt and she stepped out, blinking from the refracted light of the stained glass windows. Roses were emblazoned in the architecture of this school, the fabric of this reality; each one was like a constant reminder of things best forgotten. One of those things stood at the balcony, shoulder-length blue hair drifting on the breeze, giving off the barest of a metallic scent.

"Hello again, Himemiya-san." Kozue drawled, not even turning to face her. Anthy was silently thankful.

"Oh, I forgot, it's 'Tenjou', now, isn't it?" she chuckled wryly.

"A change of name and a change of heart, I suppose," Anthy commented, walking to stand next to her, leaning on the railing. They looked out over her brother's kingdom, without the same scrutiny she might have given it before.

"Hmm. That so."

They were silent, each almost goading the other to speak first without so much as a sideways glance; Anthy uncharacteristically broke the silence first.

"How did you do it, Kozue? Why?" She asked, almost knowing the answer (for having found it herself once).

"It's quite simple really: they took you through an act of self-sacrifice…they took me because I embraced them."

A sickening chill ran down her spine.

All those years, she never understood the swords; she thought she had, but in the end she knew little more than the pain they could inflict and the way they got inside you, warped whatever was left of you-she never cared to where they had come from, or what they were.

She could see no greater opportunity to sate that curiosity than now.

"That kind of selflessness…honor, whatever you want to call it-they want that. It's how they survive."

"What could hate possibly want with love?" Anthy could hardly form the question, much less live with the answer. Kozue grinned, turning to face her.

"Love can exist without hate; but hate can't exist without love."

Her hand is against Anthy's face, and the metaphor isn't lost on her.

"Everything done in the name of hate has some kind of love behind it-vengeance, coveting, all of it is tainted with its opposite."

Her breath smelt of swords and fire, the ambiance washing over Anthy like a wave of forced calm. As their lips brushed it was as if neither of them was really there, like it was as it had been during that duel so long ago; it was an act of pure manipulation, a message to be told in the only way the rose bride and the fallen prince knew how.

"I hate her for what she is…but I love her for what she gave to me." The rose brides, past and present, would never speak of these things, for no one, not the master of the duels, not even Utena herself, would truly see them for what they were.

Every truth is a lie and every lie is a truth, in some way or another.

* * *

><p>The planetarium windows smashed repeatedly against their sills and made a roaring noise as they fell and raised violently, the faint light of dusk disappearing and reappearing in rapid succession. Akio lay on the white couch, his hands gripping his face and hair as if he was trying to smother himself to escape the noise.<p>

He mumbled incoherently, tossing and turning, as if in some waking nightmare, occasionally crying out in pain; he yelled an ancient, forgotten word at the top of his lungs, and it reverberated through the room, almost being lost in the increasingly deafening noise-

He sat up, the room now silent, his hair and clothes just as prim and neat as they had been, but his eyes were bloodshot and frightened.

The man in red turned to the projector, his fear turning to repressed rage.

"You think you can win like this? Don't you remember what you stood for, once? Would you want to beat me this way?" He jeered, standing to leave.

"It makes no difference, now. Anthy is nearing her last move, and I doubt it will be an informed one." He glanced back, smiling triumphantly.

"You had better get used to losing, my dear."

* * *

><p>"So what did you tell her?"<p>

Kozue and Kagami lay on the enormous veiled bed, with the rose bride sprawled laconically at the foot while her counterpart reclined stiffly against the headboard, looking mildly vexed.

The dormitory in which Utena and Anthy had once occupied had been repaired considerably, with the gothic style of the outside having been placed in the interior. The hallways were lined with ornate wooden doors, flowing red curtains, and golden candelabra that lined the walls, giving it the feel of some sort of palace; at the end of the hall was a large, arched double door that led to the master bedroom. It was within the scarlet walls of the once small and ordinary room that they had chosen to retire, though whether it was a conversation or a questioning it was difficult to tell.

"Oh, it doesn't matter." Kozue intoned distantly. "She'd been on the right track, of course. Quite clever, that one."

"Yes, and you diverted her how?" Kagami smoothed back her hair, looking suddenly quite tired.

"Easy. I told her the truth." Kozue smiled at her, in that same sweet, demonic way that she always did. She sauntered over and casually placed herself on Kagami's lap, their faces a breadth apart, eyes meeting intensely; they looked more like they were locked in a game of strategy than in intimacy. Kagami brushed a lock of hair off her face.

"That same truth both of you refuse to tell me." She muttered, her tone angry but soft. The other girl rolled her eyes.

"Only because your reaction would be…Unnecessary." She kissed her neck, as Kagami's hands rose to entangle themselves in her hair.

"Being lied to doesn't sit well with me, Kozue," she breathed, "And neither do half-truths."

It wasn't entirely unlike Kagami to articulate this, but it was nonetheless something unexpected. She simply responded with a kiss, her hands now firmly back in place on their strings.

_Minds, bodies…Humans are no more than tools. _

"You don't take any of this seriously, do you?"

"I assure you, my dear, I'm quite serious."

* * *

><p>As dawn broke over the academy, Anthy found herself just as awake as she had been that night. She couldn't waste a moment, now that she'd found another clue. That, coupled with the unnerving feeling of longing to forget what she had heard made for many sleepless hours.<p>

Despite this knowledge, she was unsure of how to proceed; it led nowhere, yet it seemed essential.

_"If you ever have a problem, come to me first…"_

Anthy bit her lip nervously. It was aggravating, to have lived so long without having relied on anyone, and when she did they were gone when she needed them most. A dull ache found its way to her heart as she prepared herself for the drudgery ahead, her mind on far more important things than her schooling.

Kozue had of course been trying to mislead her; that much was obvious, and Anthy suspected she had done it on purpose. Manipulation was the domain of the rose bride, and while she hadn't been at it as long as Anthy, she was certainly skilled, and had been even before the swords.

The only thing she knew for certain was that she hadn't been lying.

* * *

><p>To say Sanjouin Chigusa was a force to be reckoned with would not be an exaggeration.<p>

Tsuwabuki Mitsuru had changed since his childhood days-time and loss had weakened him, made him colder, fearful. His face changed from that of a child into that of a sad, broken young man, his heart steered from where it might once have been headed, though he never had understood why. In the end, what he had become was an anxious, timid person, hardly suited for the intense characters he had to deal with on a regular basis due to his position.

That was why when Chigusa came sauntering into his office, smiling dangerously, he sunk in his chair, resigning himself to whatever she would dish out to him.

"Seitokaichou, I think we have matters to discuss." She sat smugly in the chair opposite him. He couldn't recall there being a chair there, but attributed it to exhaustion.

"Yes, Sanjouin-san?" Mitsuru coaxed, wanting to get it over with. She dropped a file on his desk, making him cringe a little when it hit the wooden surface.

"I'm sure you're wondering what this is-"

"Not really. It has to do with the Golden Rose, doesn't it?" he interjected. She almost pouted at the anticlimax.

The student council president wanted nothing more than to simply forget about the whole thing-it was simply ridiculous. But as Chigusa had been the one whose pride had been damaged, she refused to let go of it.

All that had been done was to interrupt a duel; that in itself was unheard of.

Chigusa had been the victor then, their leader. At the time he'd been content to simply keep the books and let her handle the rest of the duelists, despite her attitude towards him. It had been simple, easy.

Then came Tsuchiyo Kagami, and the Golden Rose.

"Yes. I'll have you know, this is our prime suspect; we haven't got a name, quite yet, however."

"With all due respect, Sanjouin-san, if this is another witch hunt you're leading us on-" She glared angrily at him, and he felt what little protest he had die in his throat. She then continued, unabated.

"This is what's left of her file-she didn't graduate, didn't transfer out, she just…vanished, completely. It seems she didn't leave without destroying quite a bit of her file, including her name and photograph." Mitsuru almost wanted ask what the point of all this was, but decided against it.

"What we did learn, however, is that she was a registered member of the student council."

This stopped Mitsuru in his tracks.

"…meaning she was most likely a duelist." She concluded.

"Th…That doesn't make any sense!" he sputtered, his indignation evident. "It's…well, frankly, it's incongruent with everything we know about the student council-it's ridiculous!"

Chigusa twirled a lock of hair on her finger, undaunted.

"You of all people should know how often impossible things happen here."

There was a severe silence, and one could almost hear the rapid train of thought that ran through Mitsuru's mind.

"I…I will look into it, Sanjouin-san." There was resignation in his voice, as if he had just lost a battle he'd been waging for quite a long time. Chigusa stood to leave.

"Thank you for your time, Seitokaichou."

* * *

><p><em>Blades sang out as they crashed together, the two duelists locked in a violent dance; the castle, bright and brilliant, whirled above them, casting its eerie light on their games. The rose bride-younger, somehow, less accustomed to her post-stood idly by with a condescending interest. The duelists each looked over at her out of the corner of their eyes at times.<em>

_ "If you think you can just waltz in here and challenge me, I do hope you hadn't intended to win!" Chigusa sneered, parrying a blow from the scimitar that would have struck her rose. _

_ Her opponent didn't answer, she just smiled and twisted the handle of her blade, catching the hilt of her rapier and pushing forward. Chigusa stumbled, withdrawing her sword and leaping back a few feet._

_ "Yeah, that's about right." Kagami cradled her scimitar in one hand, looking down at a dent in the finish. Chigusa chose that moment to lunge, but she was blocked by a flash of metal and a triumphant grin. She cursed under her breath, swinging the rapier up above her head, going in for the strike, when to her surprise she found herself cloaked in darkness. _

_ The castle had disappeared, in its place a dim, clouded night sky bereft of stars. The moon burst through the cloud cover, illuminating three figures with blades locked together. A woman in a mask, almost like a fencing helmet, and a dark yellow uniform had somehow gotten between the two duelists, blocking them in midstrike. _

_ "What the hell…" Kagami extracted herself and took a step back. _

_ "Who do you think you are? Coming in on a duel like this, you little-" Chigusa growled, but found the masked woman's dagger slashing upwards._

_ The castle reignited as teal petals drifted through the air, both women in a state of utter shock._

_ "It's over." The rose bride stepped forward, crushing the tattered flower beneath her feet. _

_ This was definitely going to be interesting._

Anthy blinked out of her trance, lifting her head off the desk; she looked around the darkened library for signs of other students who might have seen or heard her, but found none.

It probably wasn't a good idea to perform magic in such a public place, but in the dormitories it was far more likely she'd be overheard. She yawned, and stretched, gathered her books, and stood to leave, her actions echoing through the empty building like the sighs of ghosts. She shuddered.

Night at the academy had once enthralled her-she could wallow in its darkness, hide behind it, look away from the stars; night was their domain, when Ohtori's true colors shone. She and Akio were like gods, looking out over their little human toys, all unwittingly tangled in their own snares. What fun it had been! When the rose bride was willing and her fallen prince was alive with hopes of redemption!

Now it just felt like walking through a graveyard, lined with coffins and roses.

With or without the grandeur, that was what it had always been.

* * *

><p>Hey all. This might be the last update for a while, as I'm moving to place with no internet for the next month or so. Thank you for sticking with this insanity so far ^_^<p> 


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